Universal Mounting Channel

ABSTRACT

A universal mounting channel for use in an electronic equipment cabinet is provided which allows various mounting structures to be secured to the channel at various locations along the channel. The channel includes an elongate slot extending along the entire length of the channel and a number of opposed pairs of openings disposed on opposite sides of the slot. The slot allows for the mounting members to be slid along the channel while the openings allow for the mounting members to be aligned at the same position with each channel to which the rail is secured to ensure the mounting members are attached to the channels at the desired location. Each channel also includes apertures along each side of the channel to which ties or straps can be attached that secure cable bundles along the sides of the channels.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/793,936 filed on Apr. 21, 2006, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to cabinets or enclosures for housing and/or storing electrical or computer equipment and components therein and, more specifically, to channels mounted within these types of cabinets for assisting in mounting the equipment and components therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Computer and electronic equipment, such as information technology equipment, is often necessary for the operation of a business. In order to locate this equipment in a reasonably accessible location, various cabinets and enclosures have been developed which allow for the equipment to be mounted therein in an easily accessible manner. These enclosures normally take the form of enclosed structures with a selectively openable door to enable an individual to access the equipment stored within the enclosure. However, the door can be secured and locked sufficient to prevent any unauthorized access to the equipment.

One significant drawback to cabinets and enclosures of this type is the inability of many enclosures to be adapted or modified to accommodate a number of components or pieces of equipment therein in varying configurations depending upon the size and/or number of different types of the electronic equipment to be mounted within the cabinet. Most cabinets only have specified mounting locations that are preformed within the cabinet frame during the original construction of the cabinet that only enable components and equipment to be secured to the cabinets at those locations. As a result, only limited numbers and/or sizes of components and/or pieces of equipment can be mounted within the cabinets in those specified configurations, which results in wasted space within the cabinet, or the inability to use the cabinet entirely.

Therefore, it is desirable to develop a mounting member for use within cabinets or enclosures of this type to enable the mounting configurations for the equipment positioned within the cabinets to be varied as necessary. It is also desirable that the mounting member is securable within the cabinets in either an original manufacture or retrofit manner, and that is also easy to assemble and utilize.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, a universal mounting channel is provided which can be positioned within an electronic or computer equipment cabinet in order to allow the mounting configuration for the equipment to be positioned within the cabinet to be varied as necessary to accommodate equipment of varying sizes and/or varying numbers of equipment types. The channel is formed as an elongate member having an elongate central slot and a number of aligned openings spaced equidistant from one another along the length of the channel slot. The slot allows for various mounting rails and/or types of equipment to be mounted directly to the channels instead of to the cabinet frame. Also, the openings on the channels provide visual alignment indicators for the rails mounted to the channels and for the equipment mounted to the rails in order to position the mounting rails and/or equipment where desired within the cabinet.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the channels each include a number of oblong apertures spaced from the mounting slot along the sides of the channels. The apertures allow for wires, cables, power cords, and other elongate items to be bundled and routed along the channels to the various pieces of equipment disposed within the cabinet using ties or straps secured to the channels through the oblong apertures and around the cables.

Numerous other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a universal mounting channel constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the channel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the channel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of a blank for use in forming a channel of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the channel of FIG. 1 mounted within a cabinet; and

FIG. 6 is a partially broken away, exploded isometric view of the attachment of a mounting rail to the channel of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawing figures in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a universal mounting channel constructed according to the present invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The channel 10 is formed as an elongate member including a pair of recessed side sections 12, 14 disposed on opposite sides of a central section 16. Each recessed side section 12, 14 is formed with a generally U-shaped configuration, with the central section 16 positioned therebetween. However, other configurations are also contemplated, such as a configuration where the side sections 12 and 14 and the central section 16 are co-planar with one another.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the central section 16 includes an elongate slot 18 extending along the center line of the central section 16, and a number of marking openings 20 spaced equidistant from one another along the center section 16, such as in one inch increments, and in a particularly preferred embodiment located on opposite sides of the slot 18 along the length of the central section 16. The marking openings 20 can also be disposed on one or both of the side sections 12 and 14, if desired. The openings 20 are utilized as alignment or location identifiers to align various mounting rails 100 for electronic equipment (not shown) that are secured to the channels 10 at the same relative locations with respect to each of the channels 10 secured to the cabinet frame 102 by aligning the rails 10 with the same openings 20 on each channel 10. Additionally, the openings 20 can also be adapted to receive therein tabs, pins, or other mounting members (not shown) disposed on the rails 100 that are inserted within the openings 20 to engage and position the mounting rails 100 or equipment on the channels 10 in a desired location. Alternatively, the openings 20 can be formed as markings that do not completely pierce the material forming the channel 10, such as indentations, tick marks, scratches or other suitable printed markings that can be formed on the channel 10.

The elongate slot 18 includes a pair of generally square notches 22 spaced from one another and also from opposite ends of the slot 18. The notches 22 enable the retaining members 104 used to attach the mounting rails 100 to the channels 10 to be inserted or withdrawn through the central section 16 and through the slot 18 for engagement with a securing member 106 disposed against the channel 10 opposite the mounting rail 100. If the securing members 106 are already attached to or pre-assembled with the retaining members 104, the notches 22 can also be formed to be large enough to accommodate passing the entire securing member 106 therethrough. The slot 18 allows the retaining members 104 attached to the rails 100 to be slid along the slot 18 when positioning the rails 100 where desired, while keeping the rails 100 engaged with the channel 10.

Looking now at FIGS. 1-6, each of the side sections 12 and 14 includes a number of apertures 24 spaced from one another along the outer sides of one or both of each side section 12 and 14, opposite the central section 16. The apertures 24 are designed to enable various cable ties, Velcro straps or other securing items (not shown) to be inserted through the apertures 24 and used to bundle and secure the cables (not shown) extending to and from the equipment disposed within the cabinet 200 to the channels 10. This enables the cables positioned within the cabinet 200 to be located and secured along the side sections 12 and 14 of the channels 10 in an easily accessible and out of the way manner, such that the cables do not interfere with the access to the equipment to which the cables are connected. Additionally, the location of the apertures 24 in the outer sides of the side sections 12 and 14 places the apertures 24 in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the rails 100 are mounted to the channels 10, e.g., the apertures 24 are disposed in a horizontal plane while the rails 100 extend in a vertical plane when secured to the channels 10, as best shown in FIG. 5. This enables the apertures 24 to be easily accessible when rails 100 are secured to the channels 10, such that the rails 100 and any electronic equipment mounted to the rails 100 do not cover the apertures 24 in the horizontal surface of the side sections 12 and 14, as is the case if the apertures 24 were disposed in a vertically oriented surface.

Each side section 12 and 14 also includes a pair of circular openings 26 disposed at each end between the opposed sides of each side section 12 and 14. The openings 26 provide points of attachment between the channels 10 and the cabinet frame 102, such that the channels 10 can be secured to the frame 102 at the openings 26 using any suitable means, such as by welding or by using suitable fasteners inserted through the openings 26.

Thus, as best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a number of channels 10 can be secured to the frame 102 of the electronic equipment cabinet 200 such that the channels 10 are preferably disposed in generally horizontal, opposed positions within the cabinet 200. However, when necessary, the channels 10 can also be secured to the cabinet frame 102 in vertical opposed positions. Preferably, 3-4 channels 10 are secured to each side of the cabinet frame 102 in directly opposite positions, as shown in FIG. 5. When it is desired to secure a mounting rail 100 within the cabinet 200, initially each of the retaining members 104 for the mounting rail 100 is inserted into the slot 18 in each of the channels 10 to which the rail 100 is to be secured and loosely engaged with the associated securing member 106. The rail 100 and retaining members 104 are then slid along the slots 18 in the channels 10 until the rail 100 is positioned in alignment with the openings 20 on each channel 10 representing the desired location for the rail 100. In this manner, the rail 100 is positioned in a perpendicular configuration with regard to each channel 10 disposed on the side of the cabinet 200 to which the rail 100 is attached. The same is done with regard to the remaining channels 10 disposed on the either side of the cabinet 200, such that the mounting rails 100 are each positioned vertically with regard to the channels 10 in the cabinet 200.

When it is desired to reconfigure the positioning of the rails 100 in the cabinet 200, the retaining members 104 for each rail 100 to be moved are disengaged at least partially from the associated securing members 106, such that the rail 100, the retaining members 104 and the securing members 106 can all be slid along the slot 18 in each channel 10 to the new position for the rail 100, as indicated by the designated pair of opposed openings 20 on each channel 10. When positioned in the new location, the retaining members 104 are reengaged with the securing members to secure the rail 100 to the channels 10 at the new location. Because the openings 20 are evenly spaced along the channels 10, it is easy to properly locate the rails 100 where required to accommodate equipment of various sizes.

The channel 10 can be formed of any suitable material, but is preferably formed of a generally rigid material, such as a metal or plastic, with metal being especially preferred as it can be used to form a generally rectangular blank 28 shown in FIG. 4, in which the various openings 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 can be formed prior to bending the blank 28 to form the various sections 12, 14, and 16 and the resulting channel 10.

Various alternatives are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention. 

1. A universal mounting channel for use within an electronic equipment cabinet, the channel comprising; a) a pair of side sections adapted to be secured to the frame of the cabinet; b) a central section extending between the side sections; and c) a number of alignment markings located on at least one of the side sections or the central section.
 2. The channel of claim 1 further comprising opposed pairs of alignment markings located on opposite sides of the central section.
 3. The channel of claim 1 wherein the alignment markings are spaced equidistant from one another.
 4. The channel of claim 1 wherein the central section includes an elongate slot having a pair of enlarged notches spaced from one another and spaced from opposite ends of the slot.
 5. The channel of claim 4 wherein the notches are oriented generally perpendicular to the slot.
 6. The channel of claim 1 wherein the pair of side sections are disposed in an offset position with regard to the central section.
 7. The channel of claim 6 wherein the pair of side sections and the central section define a channel having a generally U-shaped configuration.
 8. The channel of claim 1 further comprising a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane different from a second plane in which a mounting rail is adapted to be secured to the channel.
 9. The channel of claim 8 wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane.
 10. The channel of claim 1 wherein each of the pair of side sections includes a mounting aperture disposed adjacent opposite ends of each side section.
 11. An enclosure for electrical components comprising: a) a frame defining a top end and a bottom end with a number of frame rails extending between the top end and bottom end; b) at least one mounting channel secured between the frame rails, the at least one mounting channel including a pair of side sections secured to the frame rails and a central section extending between the side sections and including a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane different from a second plane in which a mounting rail is adapted to be secured to the at least one channel; and c) at least one mounting rail movably secured to the at least one mounting channel.
 12. The enclosure of claim 11 further comprising at least two channels mounted to the same side of the enclosure.
 13. In the enclosure of claim 11 further comprising a number of alignment markings located on at least one of the side sections or the central section.
 14. A universal mounting channel for use within an electronic equipment cabinet, the channel comprising; a) a pair of side sections adapted to be secured to the frame of the cabinet; b) a central section extending between the side sections; and c) a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane that is different from a second plane formed by the central section.
 15. The channel of claim 14 wherein the first plane is perpendicular to the second plane.
 16. The channel of claim 14 further comprising a number of alignment markings located on at least one of the side sections or the central section.
 17. A method for securing electronic equipment within an enclosure, the method comprising: a) providing an enclosure having a frame defining a top end and a bottom end with a number of frame rails extending between the top end and the bottom end; b) securing at least two mounting channels to the frame rails, the at least two mounting channels including a pair of side sections secured to the frame rails and a central section extending between the side sections and including a number of marking indicators on at least one side of the center section; c) attaching at least one equipment mounting rail to the at least two mounting channels; and d) mounting a piece of electronic equipment to the at least one equipment mounting rail.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of attaching and the at least one equipment mounting rail to the at least two mounting channels comprises: a) aligning the at east one mounting rail with corresponding marking indicators on each of the at least two mounting channels at a desired position for the at least one mounting rail; and b) engaging the at least one mounting rail with each of the at least two mounting channels at the desired position.
 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least two mounting channels each include a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on at least one of the pair of side sections in a manner that positions the apertures in a first plane that is different from a second plane formed by the central section, the method further comprising the step of engaging cables or wiring connected to piece of electronic equipment to the at least two mounting channels with the number of cable attachment openings.
 20. A mounting channel for securing one or more pieces of electronic equipment within an enclosure, the channel comprising: a) a body adapted to be secured to the enclosure; b) a number of alignment markings located on the body and adapted to be used to align a mounting rail on the body; and c) a number of cable attachment apertures disposed on the body in a first plane that is different from a second plane formed by the body. 